What to watch

'Fear Factor' (8PM ET, NBC) season premiere
The anxiety-inducing competition series returns to NBC with all-new episodes featuring new stunts to test the stamina and nerves of the contestants. Advancements in technology have allowed the producers to develop challenges that are more fantastic than ever before -- such as the ominously titled "Towering Inferno" and the "Helicopter TNT Crash."

'Enlightened' (9.30PM ET, HBO) season finale
Amy persuades Levi to seek treatment after he has a late-night breakdown and at work, she challenges Dougie to make a presentation to Damon's group, regardless of the outcome. She also finds an unlikely ally to help her improve the environment at Abaddon.

'Hawaii Five-0' (10PM ET, CBS) midseason finale
On the eve of Chin Ho's wedding to Malia, the Five-0's investigation into a man left for dead in an abandoned WWII bunker crosses paths with Capt. Fryer's case of a Jane Doe.

'Gossip Girl' (8PM ET, The CW) midseason finale
Lily throws Charlie a party to officially introduce her to New York society. Meanwhile, Charlie's ex-boyfriend, Max, throws a wrench into Charlie's future as an Upper East Side princess. Dan decides it may be time to tell Blair the truth about his feelings for her.

'Gossip Girl' (8PM ET, The CW)
Lily, Charlie and Serena eagerly anticipate the Studio 54 party being thrown in CeCe's (guest star Caroline Lagerfelt) honor. Nate takes on a new role at the Spectator, but his first big story turns out to be about someone he knows all too well. Blair turns to an unlikely person for help.

'House' (9PM ET, Fox) midseason finale
In the fall finale, a prosecutor suffers from what he believes to be cardiac arrest during an interrogation at the witness stand. The team's preliminary diagnosis is hyper-anxiety, but when Adams and Park investigate the patient's home and find a hidden arsenal of firearms, they uncover a more alarming and deep-seated psychological disorder. Also, Wilson becomes obsessed with proving that House is hiding something in his home, Park slowly comes out of her social shell and Foreman's lack of romantic relationships piques the interest of Taub and Chase.

'How I Met Your Mother' (8PM ET, CBS)
Ted and Barney make a very bromantic decision together, while Robin tries to convince Marshall and Lily that moving to the suburbs is a terrible idea. We've already seen the episode, and it's one that fans absolutely shouldn't miss.

'You Deserve It' (9PM ET, ABC) series premiere
A six-episode unscripted series in which contestants aren't out to win money for themselves, but are playing for someone else -- someone they feel deserves it. Starting with a $10,000 round and going up to a $250,000 round, contestants purchase a series of clues to help them solve the puzzles and win money for their chosen recipient. The beneficiary, who is in another location under constant hidden-camera surveillance throughout the show, gets the surprise of a lifetime when family, friends, Brooke Burns and a camera crew burst in with life-changing news.

'Clue' (8PM ET, The Hub) miniseries premiere
Based on the iconic family game, this five-part original miniseries premieres with back-to-back episodes. The show follows six young sleuths who stumble upon an adventure they never imagined after witnessing a terrible crime. Along the way, the six very different kids discover they have a lot more in common than they thought as they uncover hidden treasures and decipher cryptic knowledge to reveal a secret society. The mystery they unravel, and the accusations they make, could very well define their own futures.

'Love & Hip-Hop' (9PM ET, VH1) season premiere
Returning for its second season, the reality series picks up where the first season left off, following the lives of six unique women, each with a link to the exciting, glamorous and high-stress world of hip hop. Featuring Chrissy Lampkin, Emily Bustamante, Kimberly "Kimbella" Vanderhee, Olivia Longott, Somaya "Boss" Reese and Yandy Smith.

'ABC News Special: Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords' (10PM ET, ABC) special presentation
Ten months after her shooting at a Tuscon grocery store, Gabrielle Giffords and her husband, former astronaut Mark Kelly, talk to Diane Sawyer about the ordeal and the congresswoman's painful road to recovery.

'Gossip Girl' (8PM ET, The CW)
Blair makes all of her former minions and Charlie compete to secure the coveted bridesmaid spots in her upcoming royal wedding. Nate is tired of keeping his relationship with Diana a secret, so he decides to use Charlie to make Diana jealous. Serena's boss (guest star Michael Michele) is determined to acquire the film rights to Dan's book, so Serena must put her personal feelings about Dan and the book aside in order to close the deal.

'Castle' (10PM ET, ABC)
During the investigation of the murder of an Atlantic City casino owner at an abandoned warehouse, strong leads emerge for the team in both New York and Atlantic City. As Beckett and Capt. Gates work the New York leads together, Castle naturally chooses to join the detectives for the road trip to "America's Playground," hoping to help solve the case while throwing an impromptu bachelor party for Ryan.

'How I Met Your Mother' (8PM ET, CBS)
Ted finally meets his mystery girl in the Slutty Pumpkin costume. Meanwhile, Barney learns he is part Canadian, and Lily has pregnancy brain. Katie Holmes guest-stars as Naomi, the Slutty Pumpkin -- what more can we say?

'2 Broke Girls' (8.30PM ET, CBS)
Caroline enrolls herself and Max in a cake-decorating class to increase their skill level and take their cupcake business to the next level.

'Bored To Death' (9PM ET, HBO)
George encourages Jonathan to give Emily a night out with a younger man, but they end up entangled in a stakeout with a wannabe detective (guest star Brett Gelman) impersonating Jonathan. Elsewhere, George goes out with Bernard, but is surprised to find out that Richard Antrem (guest star Oliver Platt) is a rival restaurateur.

'How I Met Your Mother' (8PM ET, CBS)
The gang begins to realize their romantic partner reminds them of one of their parents. Meanwhile, Barney and Nora's planned romantic evening is ruined by a string of bad events. Wayne Brady guest-stars as Barney's brother and Frances Conroy guests as their mother.

'Hart of Dixie' (9PM ET, The CW)
Zoe discovers something shocking about the local minister (guest star Peter MacKenzie) and his wife (guest star Kerry O'Malley), causing quite a stir among the residents of Bluebell. Lemon is determined to find the funds to renovate the town's historic bridge that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, but first she is put in the extremely awkward position of having to convince Lavon to choose her proposal over so many other worthwhile submissions.

'Terra Nova' (8PM ET, Fox)
When an orphaned "Sixer" girl comes to Terra Nova seeking asylum, the camp is at odds over whether they can trust her; Mira plots to reclaim a valued possession; Taylor begins to suspect there is a traitor in his midst and Reynolds admits his feelings for Maddy.

'Hart of Dixie' (9PM ET, The CW)
As Bluebell is hit by an intense heat wave, Zoe discovers that the hot weather makes everyone act differently and with a lot less inhibition. In fact, it takes all of Zoe's strength to ignore her heat-induced attraction to Wade until it gets the best of her. Meanwhile, Lemon prepares for the arrival of George's family, determined to win them over, but her emotions get the best of her when Lavon shows up to the same restaurant with his date, Didi. (Shirtless Wilson Bethel alert!)

'Sing Your Song' (10PM ET, HBO) special presentation
Filmmaker Susanne Rostock tells the rich life story of artist and humanitarian Harry Belafonte in this feature-length documentary. Though the film touches on Belafonte's musical career, 'Sing Your Song' focuses much of its time on Belafonte's social activism, as he worked intimately with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., mobilized celebrities for social justice, participated in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa and took action to counter gang violence, prisons and the incarceration of youth. Those interviewed include Tonny Bennett, Diahann Carroll, Whoopi Goldberg, Quincy Jones, Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, as well as Belafonte's family and the artist himself.

'Gossip Girl' (8PM ET, The CW)
Nate must decide whether to cross moral lines at Diana's (guest star Elizabeth Hurley) request. Dan has figured out who is publishing his book and seeks help to stop it, but he ends up in the spotlight anyway. Chuck helps Dan come to terms with his fate, while Dan continues to try to help Chuck break through his emotional block -- bromance alert!

'Five' (9PM ET, Lifetime) special telefilm premiere
An anthology of five short films exploring the impact of breast cancer on people's lives, Five uses humor and drama to focus on the effects breast cancer and its different stages of diagnosis have on relationships and the way women perceive themselves. It's an undeniable tearjerker, but there's enough star-power in this earnest TV movie to light Manhattan: Directed by Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore, Alicia Keys, Penelope Spheeris and Patty Jenkins, the cast includes Patricia Clarkson, Rosario Dawson, Lyndsy Fonseca, Ginnifer Goodwin, Josh Holloway, Taylor Kinney, Jennifer Morrison, Kathy Najimy and Tony Shalhoub, among numerous others.

'How I Met Your Mother' (8PM ET, CBS)
Last week's hilarious episode was a return to form for the aging comedy, and we're hoping that tonight's offering can maintain that momentum. After Robin assaults a girl who is out to ruin Barney's relationship, she is forced to begin court-mandated therapy sessions. Meanwhile, Ted gets too involved in Lily's pregnancy. Featuring Kal Penn as Robin's therapist, in his first acting role since joining the Obama Administration -- you go, Kumar!

'House' (9PM ET, Fox) season premiere
After last season's controversial finale, we pick up one year later, with everyone's favorite Vicodin addict behind bars. When an antagonistic prison gang leader makes a serious threat, House solicits the help of a fellow inmate (guest star Jaleel White), but when another inmate's unusual medical symptoms spark his curiosity, House must come up with creative ways to treat the patient while navigating prison rules.

Note: Premieres are still debuting, so I'd like to emphasize the "picks" portion of the title and remind you that I'm only spotlighting a selection of the week's most noteworthy offerings. For a full listing of new and returning shows and their timeslots, check out our fall premiere grid or alphabetized list to plan your schedule.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

'Terra Nova' (8PM ET, Fox) series premiere
The long-awaited, super-hyped and mega-expensive sci-fi drama finally lands on Fox this week, but is it worthy of the buzz? Surprisingly, yes. Some of the dialogue is leaden and lord knows how many times we've seen the "obnoxious teenager" archetype on genre shows, but I have a certain fondness for "event" TV, and this action-packed premiere is engaging enough and sets up plenty of potential mysteries for the season ahead. Gather your whole family for the spectacle.

'Hart of Dixie' (9PM ET, The CW) series premiere
Following the return of 'Gossip Girl,' this 'Everwood'-esque drama brings a little heart to The CW (pardon the pun) and gave me a serious case of the warm fuzzies. If you can get over the (admittedly large) hurdle of buying Rachel Bilson as a doctor, you'll probably appreciate its guileless, small town charm. Few shows can replicate the fond, nostalgic vibe that used to be The WB's stock in trade with shows like 'Gilmore Girls' and '7th Heaven,' so I'll admit that I'm kind of addicted. Whether it's more realistic than dinosaurs, though ... you'll have to draw your own conclusions.

Note: Since this is officially "premiere week," with dozens of new and returning shows airing, I'm emphasizing the "picks" portion of the title and only spotlighting a selection of the most noteworthy offerings. For a full listing of new and returning shows and their timeslots, check out our fall premiere grid or alphabetized list to plan your schedule.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

'Eureka' (8PM ET, SyFy) season finale
After a controversial summer which saw the renewal and subsequent surprise cancellation of the series, the show's fourth season comes to a close with a dramatic episode guest-starring Felicia Day and Wil Wheaton. A special holiday episode will air in December before 'Eureka' returns for its final season next year.

'Two and a Half Men' (9PM ET, CBS) season premiere'2 Broke Girls' (9:30PM ET, CBS) series premiere
One is a comedy I've never seen, the other is one of my favorite comedies of the fall -- guess which is which? Though I've never sat through an episode of 'Two and a Half Men' before, I can't deny that I'm curious to see how the long-running Chuck Lorre comedy will reinvent itself post-Charlie Sheen -- with the addition of Ashton Kutcher, it has the potential to be either an epic comeback, or an epic trainwreck (check out AOL TV's exclusive interview with Kutcher, Cryer and Jones here). More of a sure thing, however, is the charming '2 Broke Girls,' one of my favorite comedy pilots of the season. Centered around a bristly Brooklynite and a Park Avenue princess, the risqué comedy had me laughing out loud for the majority of the episode, which is more than can be said for a lot of the new sitcoms this year ...

'Gaga By Gaultier' (8PM ET, The CW) special presentation
Pop star and fashion icon Lady Gaga meets legendary fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier in a wide-ranging and unforgettable interview at Gaultier's fabulous atelier in Paris, discussing everything from her meteoric rise to fame, secret backstage details, her unique relationship with her fans, and her passionate love for fashion and art.

'Bachelor Pad' (8PM ET, ABC) season finale
In the first hour, the remaining four couples compete in a Cirque du Soleil test of acrobatic prowess judged by Trista Sutter, Jason Mesnick and Ali Fedotowsky. The winning couple will choose which pair will join them for the final judging in the second hour, in which the previous contestants return to vote for the couple they find most deserving of $250,000.

'The Closer' (9PM ET, TNT) summer finale
The team searches for clues following the shooting of a deputy sheriff, and Brenda's case comes to a head after the judge makes a critical decision.

'The Secret Life of the American Teenager' (8PM ET, ABC Family) summer finale
Whether you watch unironically or just want to pinpoint the scenes that Joel McHale is likely to mock on 'The Soup' this week, 'Secret Life' season 4 reaches its midpoint this week: It's graduation day and Ricky has some important duties to attend, to while the rest of the students get ready for a party they will never forget.

'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' (9PM ET, Bravo) season premiere
All six original housewives -- Taylor Armstrong, Camille Grammer, Adrienne Maloof, Kim Richards, Kyle Richards and Lisa Vanderpump -- are back. Though not official "housewives," this season the ladies are joined by two new friends: Brandi Glanville and Dana Wilke. In the wake of Russell Armstrong's suicide, a special introduction to the episode will be broadcast with interviews from cast members, as well as suicide prevention PSAs.

'The Glades' (10PM ET, A&E) season finale -- special night
Two ex-con brothers seize control of Callie's hospital, resulting in a tense hostage situation that Jim and Callie must work together to solve in the second season finale.